Sibyl's Wonderland
by Quaver Ava
Summary: No wait, she wasn't the hero. Taking in a deep breath, she raised her hue and then checked herself. The highest number she had achieved was around six hundred. She smiled. Sakura Kinomoto was this world's version of a villain. Perhaps it was time to start using a different method of searching for her friend.
1. Chapter 1

Kinomoto

Akane raised her dominator, the coefficient of the young woman rapidly rising. The man behind the girl pressed a knife to her neck. "Drop your gun or I'll slit her open."

Akane couldn't get a clear shot, and no one else was around to take it. There were dozens of onlookers, but not a single enforcer with her. If she wasn't quick, the hostage's coefficient would rise past three hundred soon. Akane gritted her teeth, moving to the side to see if she could get a good angle. The man had already taken three other lives. She needed to deal with him before he took a fourth.

"I'm warning you, I'll do it!"

The woman sobbed, tears and snot marring her pretty face. "I'm sorry, I'm so-sorry!"

"Shut up bitch!" The man pulled the blade across her neck some, grunting as the woman's legs gave away in fear. He jerked down to get his grip on the woman again, but it was too late. Akane fired, hitting the man in the neck. He swelled into grotesque proportions and exploded into a horrible mess of gore. The woman fell to her knees, screaming in fright. But she was free now. Some onlookers threw up, but a few cheered.

And then Shimotsuki appeared, dashing onto the scene, dominator raised.

Akane gasped, realizing what the inspector was preparing to do. Akane yelled to Shimotsuki to stop as the dominator unlocked into lethal mode. Another girl rushed forward, blocking the line of sight of Shomotsuki's dominator. She fell to her knees, grabbing the sobbing victim into her arms. Shomotsuki fired still, paralyzing the new girl. She aimed at the victim of the kidnapper, readying to take a second shot.

She never fired. A cloud of blue dust fell over the assembled people.

Akane gasped, suddenly exhausted. Her knees gave out and she fell to the ground, every person around her following suite. No one saw where the dust came from, no one would remember but the street scanners.

Akane grunted, waking up just as the enforcers arrived. "What?" She asked herself, looking around her at the other waking people. Shimotsuki groaned from her spot on the dirty street, a hand to her head. Ginoza helped the inspector up, asking her what had happened.

Hinakawa helped Akane up. "Are you alright, sister?"

Akane gave him a smile at his meekness. "I'm good, just got a little sleepy there."

Hinakawa's lips pulled upwards at the joke before he shyly turned away.

Their attention was on the empty spot of gore where the two girls had been in the middle. They were now gone. Akane sighed, knowing the case wasn't over until they found the once hostage, now a criminal of over a three hundred coefficient. Hinakawa picked up her dominator that she had dropped, handing it to her. "Thank you." She accepted it, Sibyl's voice registering her as a valid user. "We're not done yet until we find that girl."

Shimotsuki walked up to her, dominator in hand. She raised her other arm, activating her wristcom. "Miss Karanomori, I want to know what happened to us, and why we all lost consciousness."

"You won't believe me. Ha ha." Shion could be seen throwing her head back in her hysterics.

"Compose yourself, Miss Karanomori. We have dangerous a criminal out there with coefficient over three hundred. I want to know how they got away and where they are. Starting with how." Never once did Shimotsuki's voice raise, the only indication of annoyance she held was her narrowed eyebrows, which relaxed as she watched the analyst calm down.

"It was a blue fairy that spread the dust, and if you don't believe me here's a clip from the street scanners." Shion's face disappeared, replaced with a video clip of the scene that took place moments ago. Sure enough, a tiny girl with insect wings flew over the crime scene, sprinkling a glowing dust over them all. Perhaps it was a flying bot covered in a hologram that dispenses a quick acting drug? After that, a fire rushed towards the scanner from out of view and the video stopped.

Akane looked from Shimotsuki's wristcom holo to the street scanners. Every scanner that had eyes on the scene afterwards was destroyed.

"Sorry to put a damper on things, but our two girls and blue fairy are gone. There's a path of disabled scanners leading to an abolitionist distract, and from there you're not going to find them easily. I suggest you all wrap up there and come home. They've got an unknown tech with them at the moment that'll put you to sleep."

"Tsk…" Shimotsuki made a face but nodded. "Very well, we'll be back within the hour." She tapped the holo, setting her wristcom to standby. "Let's collect the people up and send them to rehabilitation."

Akane stepped forward, pursing her lips. "Shimotsuki, her coefficient could have dropped to a manageable level, but you wouldn't have it. If it weren't for that other girl, we'd have two dead—"

"Criminals. Sybal judged them and I will execute that judgement without question. Something you as my senior inspector should do as well." Shimotsuki turned away, watching as drones surrounded the area and started rounding up the latent criminals in the crowd. Satisfying enough, no one chose to run. They would be wrapping there up quite nicely, bots already cleaning the remains of human flesh and blood.

* * *

"Are you okay now?"

"Yes, Miss Kinomoto." The girl who had been paralyzed brushed her hair away from her face. "I'm not sure about my friend though. She's been in and out of rehabilitation so many times that this might put her in there permanently."

Sakura looked over to the shower, sighing when she heard more dry-heaving. The world she found herself in was a cruel parody of humanity's attempt at a perfect society. In its perfection, it destroyed the individual down to their very thoughts. She wished she could take action and rid the city of this Sibyl System, but it was now so engrossed into the industry, the culture, that it would hurt millions.

"I think you might be right, but her hue's cleared up enough to enter a rehabilitation center. She's done it many times before, and I'm sure she can do it again." Sakura smiled at her companion.

"I don't see a genuine smile like that very often. You're something else, Miss." The girl brushed her hair out of her face again, though it fell back because of how it was cut. "I wish more people were like you. You didn't stand by and wait for a number, you acted on what you thought was right, and saved our lives. Not many folks understand that she's mentally ill, but capable of really good things."

Sakura nodded her head and stood up. Walking to the bathroom door, she knocked twice. "You alright in there?"

"Uhg, I'd liked to have died…"

Sakura turned to the first girl with a questioning eyebrow.

"She's okay." The teenager said, smiling. And it was a true smile, filled with relief and happiness not clouded by the thought of her hue darkening at being happy towards the wrong thing. "Thank you." She said again, rubbing tears from her eyes.

Sakura leaned her head back and sighed. "You know I don't know your names. I'm, not sure if I should ask." She had met many new friends in the last few months in the future, but many of them had either vanished or were taken into custody. Her judgement of character didn't use the same criteria as Sibyl's. It depressed her to think there was a time not too long ago that she'd ask their names and remember them. As a child sometimes her memory faltered and it was hard to keep track of so many people in life when first meeting someone, but she grew to remembering people well. Now, the skill was practically useless. Computers and implants took care of the small stuff like that. Sakura didn't have an implant, but she knew the implants could read and tell someone if they had met in the past and help bring up the right memories.

Sakura brushed a hand through her short hair, grimacing at its greasy state. Once her guest was out of the shower, she'd hop right in. "I'll stick to not knowing who you are."

The girl made to protest, but it was here that her friend exited the shower. The once hostage looked pale and sick, but at least she was clean. Sakura discreetly checked their hue's, both friends were under three hundred, but still above the hundred mark. "Relax, keep off the streets for a few days, call into work sick. If your hue's still dark, then turn yourself in for counselling. But, I have faith you can take control of that yourself."

"Thank you again, Miss Kinomoto." They said in unison, before sharing a quick smile.

Sakura chuckled. It was good to see that some little things were still appreciated in this day and age. She unbuttoned her blouse, readying to step into the shower.

"Woah, her clothes are real. I wonder who made them?" The once hostage said to her friend as they opened Sakura's apartment door and left.

Sakura let the shirt rest around her shoulders, and stepped into the steamy bathroom. She pulled a scanner to check for any diseases or blood left behind, also hitting the command on her mobile for the bathroom to disinfect itself just in case. Letting the automated bathroom do its work, she turned to her mirror and commanded it to defog itself. Slowly, a woman looked back at her. She was in her mid-twenties now, but still was mistaken for a younger age. Life's experiences and ordeals changed her character throughout the years, but she liked to fancy herself holding onto the qualities of who she was sense childhood.

The girl's comment echoed into her mind. Who made her clothes? That person was why she was here, in this strange future wonderland. "Tomoyo, I'll find you, and we'll go home."

The bathroom signaled her that it was ready for use again, the water was heated, the steam was removed from the previous use. Now it was as if there hadn't been an emotionally destroyed woman in there. Sakura placed her scanner into a socket and let it read herself. Her hue came up onto the mirror. It read a healthy sixty three. She closed her eyes and opened them again. Now it read an extraordinary four hundred and fifty two. The scanner updated, her number rapidly declining. It took practice after learning she had this ability, but it was her most useful defense in the current world. Their law, could not touch her.

At first she thought it was related to her magical abilities but after some research she discovered rumors of other people with this unique trait. These folks either stayed out of the eye of Sibyl their whole lives without a question asked, or took advantage of their power in the world. There was one man who created and mass produced helmets that could give a regular individual a pseudo version of that ability. There were still helmets in circulation, but now they were all in the hands of anti-Sibyl groups, people no better than terrorists. Sakura wanted the system gone, but through the use of force and other's expense, it wasn't the right way. The system needed to change over time, and in a justifiable manner.

Sakura leaned forward and gripped the edges of her sink. She looked down. Her hair outlined her vision, blouse loosely hanging around her, and a lacy bra held her breasts. She stared at a section on the bra, studying a group of intricate lines. She unclipped the front and looked up at the mirror again. There were shadows under her eyes. She was tired of this world and wanted to go home. Only, she needed to find her friend first, or learn her friend's fate. Long ago she had wept over the likely possibility of Tomoyo being destroyed by a dominator. Today was a good example of how skewed justice had become. If there was traumatized girl from another time, maybe universe, Sakura wasn't sure about the scientific theories involved at the moment, their coefficient was going to be high. Would it even be dangerously high? Above three hundred earned someone a death sentence.

Sakura closed her eyes, imaging the horror of her friend slowly turning around with her gentle smile. Then a blue light would hit Tomoyo's side and she'd begin to swell and-

"Aahh!" Sakura screamed, hitting the sink's surface. .

Throwing her clothes to a corner, Sakura stepped into the shower and set the water to be a searing hot temperature. A warning went off suggesting she lower the water's temperature, but she needed something to clear her mind. Stepping into the scorching water for a second, then stepping out. She repeated this until she was satisfied and cleaned herself. Then did it again to rinse herself off. Leaving her soiled clothes where she had discarded them, she stepped back into her main apartment in search of clean clothes.

Opening her closet, a large assortment of garments showed themselves to her. An automated machine rotated different outfits and a few battle costumes to present to her. There had been a time where Tomoyo was with her, they were working together to find the scattered Sakura Cards. And then Tomoyo disappeared and Sakura had been searching for her friend ever sense. Looking over her shoulder Sakura frowned at the book on her nightstand. The cards were all there and she could go home. There were many times she tempted the idea of returning to her time, just to see her friends, or sneak into a further time in the past to see Tomoyo again. But she didn't know if she could return to this time point.

Sakura brought her attention back to the task at hand and chose a simple outfit of jeans and a denim button up jacket, a very western outfit that looked nice and was durable. It was another day to search for her friend, and if need be, play the hero.

No wait, she wasn't the hero. Taking in a deep breath, she raised her hue and then checked herself. The highest number she had achieved was around six hundred. She smiled. Sakura Kinomoto was this world's version of a villain. Perhaps it was time to start using a different method of searching for her friend.

* * *

 _After I watched Cardcaptor Sakura and then followed it up with Psycho Pass I wanted to see a crossover of the two worlds. Sadly, there wasn't one to be had. Wanting to see if you can mix the two, I was inspired to write this story for myself. Dear reader, please leave your thoughts and comments in a review. This story is open to suggestions as I'm pantsing through this tale._


	2. Chapter 2

Daidouji

Akane stepped out of the vehicle, and headed inside with Hinakawa at her side. She had taken a liking to the enforcer and brought him along with her as often as she could. His social skills were improving and she had seen a difference in his medication addiction not to mention his hue. Perhaps she could free him of the latent criminal label and he could become an inspector, or move onto something else. She secretly hoped he would choose the formal if he did beat his handicap. Akane butted heads with her junior inspector far too much now-a-days.

They entered the correctional facility and took a sharp left towards the visitor center. They had a special interview today with an individual who shouldn't be alive. Walking up to the large glass window, Akane sat down. "Hello, Miss Daidouji, thank you for agreeing to this interview today."

The woman had fair skin and dark silky hair. Even in the correctional facilities' white clothes, the young lady held herself in a graceful manner. It was a shame that there were deep bags under her eyes. "It's my pleasure. What might I help you with today?" Daidouji's smile brimmed with kindness and accentuated the tired look in her eyes.

Akane turned to her companion and gestured for him to take a seat next to her. He nervously nodded his head, sitting down without looking at the pretty inmate. Slowly, Hinakawa lifted his head and met Daidouji's gentle gaze. He blushed, but didn't look away. Akane felt this was progress for the enforcer. Building his confidence would go a long way in lowering his hue.

Taking her attention back to the interview at hand, Akane placed a hand to her chest. "I'm Inspector Akane Tsunemori, and this is my Enforcer Sho Hinakawa. He's a little shy."

Daidouji put a hand to her lips and giggled at the remark.

"Now, Miss Daidouji, I'm curious to ask a few questions. Your citizenship has been confirmed, but you're supposed to be deceased. Understand that identity fraud is a very serious crime, and even when your hue settles you might be sentenced for several years in prison." Akane laced her fingers together and paused, waiting to see what the inmate would say.

Daidouji stayed quiet for a time. She opened her mouth and closed it, a sad expression crossing her tired face. "Can I ask that you not tell when it happened."

"Excuse me?"

"When, when the Tomoyo Daidouji in this time passed on."

Daidouji's simple request was filled with an overwhelming sense of loss. For a moment, Akane wasn't sure how to react. Did this woman truly think she was Tomoyo Daidouji?

"So let's say you really are who you say you are. If that's the case, you're currently about a century into the future given your age."

Daidouji nodded her head. "That's correct."

"I don't believe it, but you do come up in the system as a perfect match. From all of the information you've given, and your DNA, you are who you say you are. But it's simply not possible. Time travel is a fringe of scientific research, and it's still just theories." Akane pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm not sure what sort of technology or method you're using, but the most logical solution is you're an imposter. Identity Fraud is a very serious crime." Perhaps if Akane said it enough, Daidouji would say how she's doing it.

"But I am me. Please, you have to believe me. I came here with my friend through a bizarre accident. We are from the past, or maybe, we're from another universe. I don't know, I just want to see Sakura."

And there it was, the strangest part of Daidouji's story. The Sakura Kinomoto, Daidouji spoke of, didn't exist. There were records of a Toya Kinomoto, but he died at a young age with his father in a car accident back in the twentieth century. Toya's mother however, was still alive to this day. A very ancient woman helped along by a variety of implants and synthetic organ transplants. "Miss Daidouji, I've told you that Sakura Kinomoto never existed, and the other two individuals you listed as her family had died in a car accident. However, there is a Nadeshiko Kinotomo that is still alive, perhaps—"

"What?!" Daidouji leaned forward, her eyes wide in an eager excitement. "Sakura's mother is alive?"

"As I was saying, Nadeshiko never had a second child."

"But she's alive? That, that must mean we're on a completely different timeline all together, meaning that this future could be different than my timeline's future…" Daidouji covered her mouth, an excited grin spreading across her pretty face. "This is wonderful, wait until Sakura hears about this. Oh, and she can meet her mother, but not really her mother, but still her mom." Clasping her hands together, Daidouji leaned towards the glass. "Oh please, find my friend."

Akane shook her head. The interview was going nowhere it seemed. "I'm sorry, but—"

Hinakawa put a hand up, silencing Akane. "E-excuse me." He stammered, shifting his gaze between the two women. "I-I believe you miss."

Daidouji eyes practically sparkled with joy.

"Can you tell us about your friend? Does she happen to have access to any sort of special technology perhaps?"

Akane raised an eyebrow at her subordinate, but didn't stop him.

Daidouji's excitement seemed to drain away. "O-oh, perhaps I shouldn't talk…"

"Please Miss, you said you got here by some kind of accident. We'll need details if we're going to help you get home." Hinakawa's voice was quiet but held a calm confidence to it now.

Akane felt the enforcer genuinely believed the young lady. Perhaps she herself should be open to the impossible.

"Well… You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Daidouji looked to her still clasped hands. "But, Sakura can use magic."

"Magic you say?" Akane asked, holding back a chuckle.

Hinakawa slowly nodded as if he truly believed Daidouji. "I see, here we don't have magic, perhaps its unique to your universe."

Daidouji blushed. "Yes, but where I come from magic isn't very well known. So maybe you also have magic here."

Hinakawa smiled. No, it was more than that, boarding a smirk, Akane never thought possible for the enforcer. "Perhaps we do." He said, "Would you like to go into further detail of what sort of magic Miss Kinomoto uses? Maybe it's connected, but there have been strange reports lately."

Daidouji's eyes grew wide. She straighten in her chair, energized and attentive. "Oh, like what?"

Akane interjected here. "Well, about two weeks ago two girls went missing after an event where everyone in the general area lost consciousness. Street scanners were destroyed leading towards an abolitionist district. Would your friend happen to know a little blue fairy that puts people asleep?" Akane laughed a little at her last statement, but stopped when she caught Daidouji's serious expression.

"Yes, yes that would have been her. But it's unlike her to try and kidnap someone."

"Actually Miss," Hinakawa said, "If it wasn't for that event, one of those girls might have died."

Daidouji gasped. "Oh my."

"But…" Hinakawa trailed off, losing his momentum.

Akane knew where to pick up from here and cleared her throat to get Daidouji's attention. "If everything is true so far, that you're from another universe and your friend is the one who saved those girls, it's likely she's also our culpit for some recent troubles involving breaking and entering, destruction of government property, and stealing sensitive data. Those are just three of the biggest issues, but there are countless other charges to press against her."

Daidouji rested her mouth against her lips in thought. "Perhaps if you tell me a little more of what's happening, I might be able to help." She lowered her fist. "She's looking for me. I was taken here without warning. We were close to finishing what needed to be done so we could go home. I'm sure she can take us there as soon as she finds me."

"She's a criminal, we can't allow her to get away with the things she's done." Akane shook her head, knowing that this would get them nowhere now. No wait, it had gotten them somewhere. They now had a name, and possible future information on the potential tricks that this Kinomoto girl could have up her sleeve. Magic or not, Daidouji most likely knew detailed information that could be critical in capturing the criminal.

"E-excuse me." Hinakawa stuttered.

Akane looked over her shoulder at him and blinked. The young man was shuffling in his seat like a nervous teenager. She was glad that he was gaining confidence, but sometimes it was hard not to smile at the little things he began to do.

"Yes Mr. Hinakawa?"

Hinakawa blushed and mumbled something under his breath.

"I'm sorry what was that?"

"M-maybe we can help each other."

Akane held herself from making any remarks, watching her subordinate closely. He looked at her for a nervous second, and she nodded her head for him to continue.

"P-perhaps." He took in a breath and slowly regained the composure he had earlier. "Perhaps, you could join our side, and we can capture her together."

Akane was sure there was some regulation being broken here, but she couldn't recall if there was a rule saying enforcers couldn't suggest recruits. The idea though, it might just work. Akane found herself nodded. "Yes…" she muttered. If they could get Daidouji to join them, as an enforcer, or some kind of sub-latent-criminal contractor, that just might work in Kinomoto's arrest.

But then what?

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Daidouji shifted away from the glass, looking all intents on walking out on them there.

Akane would not allow this opportunity to slip past them. "Wait, it'll be a compromise."

Daidouji frowned, but slowly relaxed. She didn't seem like a frightened rabbit ready to run anymore.

"If Kinomoto is looking for you, we can stop her before she does anything drastic like breaking into correctional facilities." Akane was positive Daidouji knew about the possible mass executions the correctional facilities were designed for. "So, if you come with us then we can keep her away from here."

"If I come with you, you'll want to put her in prison. Then we'll never get home."

Hinakawa put a hand to the glass. "No Miss Daidouji, I'll make sure you get home."

"I'm sorry, but I'll need the Inspectors word before I can agree. And written statement, if that still legally abiding." Daidouji stood up. "Even then, I'll need to give it some thought."

"Miss Daidouji." Akane said, standing up as well. "I'll get you that written statement. We'll see where we can meet on a middle ground. But you would be a great help in preventing possible future harm to innocent people. In the meantime, I'll ask you to do some studying and take a couple of tests. I'll send a recruiting program to your cell terminal."

Daidouji wrapped her arms around her midsection. She didn't reply right away, but the woman hummed in thought.

Akane and Hinakawa waited patiently for the inmate to decide.

"I'll do that, we'll see from there." Daidouji turned away before they could see her face and marched to the exit.

Akane smiled. Whatever was to come from here on out, one thing was for certain. Tomoyo Daidouji was going to help them. The woman didn't say if she would, but Akane was confident. Now, the plan was see how they could use Miss Daidouji in capturing their elusive friend.

The only issue Akane could bring out of this conclusion was what to do with Sakura Kinotomo once they got her into custody. Allow the two to return to try and return to their nonsensical dimension, or throw them in separate cells never to see each other again? Or perhaps they could sentence Kinimoto for her crimes and keep Daidouji as an enforcer if the current inmate proved to be of a valuable asset. And then Daidouji could visit her friend. Yes, that could be a good compromise, though not one Daidouji would agree upon.

Settled on the possible good outcome for everyone within legal parameters, Akane lead Hinakawa back to the car with a smile gracing her lips. It wouldn't be a happy ending for the two young women, but it would save people from getting harmed in the cross fire of what the future might hold in the coming game of cat and mouse.

* * *

Sakura folded the letter and sealed it with a kiss. She placed it down on the table, a thin smile breaking her lips. Touching the Time Card, the Return Card, and the Hope Card, she opened a small rift around the letter and allowed it to suck it into the void that separated the dimensions. It took practice at first, but she perfected the technique that landed her here in this timeline.

After some interesting investigation she learned that history was altered, and that she herself was never born in this world, on top of a host of other individuals. People who should have died where alive, and people who should have lived died. What really surprised her was some of the outcomes of the Cold-War between the two super powers of the USA and the USSR. More investigation showed that there were a lot of dead people who were alive in her time. The great beasts kissed each other over poisoned wine, leaving droves of innocent lives in the ashes. The world moved on, society learned from their mistake, and stronger form of socialistic thought was accepted in Japan. Through corruption and social revolution, Sibyl was born.

Now she would wait for advice on her next move from Kero and the others. Alone, in her room, by herself…

Sakura pushed the table away from her bed, not minding that some of her cards fell to the floor. She laid there, curling in herself as the tears threatened to grip her. She missed her family, her friends. Tomoyo's beautiful smile flashed into her mind and stayed like the fading brightness from looking at the sun. She needed to pull herself together, work on searching through the data she stole. Perhaps Tomoyo's name would pop up in a correctional facilities' list of inmates. If she could find that, there would be a cell number of where Tomoyo resided. And then Sakura could break her friend out.

"Sakura?" A soft parodied voice of Sakura's own called from the edge of the bed.

Sakura sat up, and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I should have put you guys back in the book."

"No, it's fine." Mirror replied, placing the Sakura Cards that had fallen back on the table. She pushed them together, and stacked her beloved friends and family. "Just remember, that we're here with you now. We care about you."

Sakura sniffed and smiled at her current double-ganger. Mirror wore a green ribbon in her hair constantly, even in the imitation of Sakura. Currently, Mirror had her hair down with the ribbon tied into a neat bow on top her head. She looked nice, and seeing her looking nice reminded Sakura of how terrible she herself must look in that moment.

Mirror stood up and walked to a small fridge in the bedroom, opening up and pulling out some local cocktail. "She would be sad to see you upset. We'll find her, together. And when we do, we promise to protect her. It hurts all of us to see you cry."

Sakura nodded, accepting the glass bottle that Mirror handed over. Sakura took a long swig, the sweet taste laced with carbonation and alcohol. Handing it back to her friend, she smiled when Mirror took an experimental sip.

"It's good."

"Yeah." Sakura stood up from her bed and stepped towards the manifested card. She opened her arms, tears brimming her eyes. "Hug me, I need to cry before I can be strong."

Mirror embraced Sakura. Though strange at first, Sakura had come to believe the moment of intimacy was much like that between two twins if they ever hugged. The thought brought a smile back to her. Pulling away, Sakura grabbed Mirror's shoulders. "We'll split the work, and plan it together."

Mirror nodded, her eyes reflecting Sakura's resolve.

* * *

 _I'll be taking some world building liberties into my hands. The supporting characters of Mirror and Hinakawa of both animes have so much potential. Yet the lack of fiction revolving around the two disappoints me._


	3. Chapter 3

Meiling

Sho Hinakawa lead Daijouji into his personal quarters. Carefully he guided her to his bed, mindful that she didn't fall in her drunken state. "S-sister, you shouldn't have drank so…" He collapsed next to the pretty woman, groaning into his pillow. How did they manage to get to his room without being caught? Oh, that's right he was off all the medications, so it couldn't have been too hard. The world spun around him and felt himself falling inside himself.

A delicate hand touched his shoulder, waking him from drifting into the land of slumber. "Wh-what?" He stared up at his guest who leaned against the wall next to his bed. She patted his shoulder, giving him a weak smile. In her other hand was a hydrating medicine to ease the ill effects of alcohol. For someone who was supposedly from another time and universe, she acquainted herself with today's technology rather well. Accepting it, he noticed that it wasn't full, meaning she must have drank some already. He felt his already flush face bloom a deeper red before hiding it with a deep swig of the medicine. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of indirect kisses. The taste was a bitter sweet lemon that overpowered his senses on swallowing.

Placing the empty container down, he pulled himself up and close to her face. Her normally pale skin was a rosy pink from the alcohol, her lips were plush, and her eyes so very beautiful. He wished to drown in those eyes all night long. Leaning forward he kissed her.

But Daidouji didn't react like he had hoped. Her body tensed in the wrong sort of way, shattering his heart. She lightly pushed him back. "I'm sorry, I'm not… I prefer women…" she turned her face away, putting a hand to her lips.

Sho nodded, numbly putting distance between them. Words escaped him. Emotions clashed together, fighting for dominance for how he should respond to her rejection. Why had she followed him to his quarters if she wasn't interested? Between the lack of medicine and the effects of alcohol he grew angry. His hand balled into a fist, and he looked at the woman next to him. She was hunched over, her raven hair messy and hanging around her face. She was the prettiest girl he had ever met. She wouldn't remember tonight, maybe if he was a little more forceful.

Shame washed through him and he dragged himself farther away from his new friend. Tomoyo Daidouji had only been a fellow enforcer for two weeks, but they had become good friends. He found himself opening up to her just as much as he talked with Akane Tsunemori. It was strange having friends again after so long without people to share things with. Maybe he could even talk to an old friend. That was it! He didn't have to let her rejection for his feelings ruin the night. He would introduce her to his old friends. It had been so long.

"Miss Daidouji…" he called her and she groaned in response. "You believe in magic wright?" He rolled his tongue in his mouth, focusing on talking clearly. Slurring was embarrassing and he didn't want his old friend teasing him.

"Yes." Daidouji turned her head and tilted it curiously. The tilt continued till her about fell off the bed. Sho jumped forward, catching her in his arms. She righted herself, and they smiled at another. "You can let go of me now."

"You're really soft." Sho said, not sure why he was still trying.

"My chest, you're arms are around my chest…"

"O-oh!" How had he not noticed that? It explained why she felt so soft. He retreated back to his side of the bed, and silence fell between them.

Sho couldn't think of a way to break the awkwardness. Time's passing was fickle to the alcohol in him. He wondered if Daidouji was as drunk. She didn't seem to mind staying with him though. He swayed on his spot on the bed, glancing towards the pretty woman. He watched her slowly lean forward and then jerked up, as if she were on the verge of passing out. It would be easy for a man to take advantage of her. The trust she bestowed on him by coming to his room was almost too great for him to comprehend in that moment. He could trust her in turn then.

"T-Tomoyo?" His heart raced at using her first name, a step to break informality between them. It was a test to see how close they had gotten, how much he could rely on her. What would her reaction be? His head swam and cleared and swam again from adrenaline coursing through him.

She seemed surprised for a moment before giving him a kind smile. "Yes Sho?"

"That friend of yours. Has she ever mentioned ghosts?"

The glaze in Tomoyo's eyes cleared and she leaned towards Sho. "Ghosts? Yes, she used to be quite scared of them. Can you see ghosts?"

Sho reached deep into a pocket and retrieved a black key, the end of it decorated with a crescent moon. "If you believe in magic and hold faith in the spirits." Sho spoke clearly, his voice breaking of all shyness and replaced with a confidence cadence. "Key of Clow, power of magic, power of night, surrender the wand, spirits release!" The key transformed in his hand, lengthening into a staff. Where the staff pointed at the empty floor, circles appeared with Chinese and English symbols. A blinding blue light banished any shadow in the room. A gust of wind swirled in the room, knocking over loose pictures and items on various furniture pieces. Sho's computer screen fell to the floor and crashed. The wind swirled in the center, dust and dirt clinging to a form. And out of the glow a spirit stepped forward.

"Sho Hinakawa!" The girl with long pigtails boomed, her voice deafening over the wind that gave form to her. "I am so angry with you, I-I-w-who's this lady?" She pointed at Tomoyo, her eyes wide.

"Tomoyo, I'd like you to meet my friend—"

"Meiling?" Tomoyo pushed back to the wall holding her chest. "H-how? You're just a girl and…"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we've ever met, Miss." Meiling bowed. "My name is Meiling, I am the guardian of Sho's Clow Key. I help control all the phantoms that reside in his staff. Are you his wife perhaps? It's been a while…" Meiling glared at Sho, grinding her teeth.

Tomoyo moved her hand from her chest to her head. "I'm…" She covered her mouth, her eyes bulging. Jumping from the bed and across the room with an amazing coordination, she reached the trash can and hurled.

"Wow, I'm so cute I make grown women puke. Ho ho ho!" Meiling put her hands to her hips and threw her head back in gleeful inappropriate laughter. "But seriously Sho, getting a lady so drunk that simple shock from my appearance triggers throwing up. That's careless."

Sho dropped the staff onto the bed without responding and carefully walked to Tomoyo's side. She turned her head and gave him a kind smile before puking into the can again. Sho sighed. She wasn't likely to remember the night. But still, it was good to show her his secret, even though she'd forget it. Probably for the best.

"Any other particular reasons you summoned me after so long?" Meiling wandered around the room, setting up fallen odds and ends back into their places. She pointed at the broken computer screen and mumbled an apology.

"Y-yes, I actually meant to talk to you sooner." Sho patted Tomoyo on the back, speaking over his shoulder at the child spirit.

"Oh, and what might I help with, Mr. Phantom Master?" Meiling sat on the bed, and kicked her feet. She picked up the staff Sho left behind, and swirled it with one hand.

"I will need your assistance. There's a mage from another world that will soon be knocking at our door. She's powerful, and scary, and she wants this lovely lady here."

"Is Tomoyo, or whatever her name is, running away from this mage? Why not send phantoms to kill her?"

Sho helped ease Tomoyo away from the bin, setting her against the nearest wall. She held her face, breathing hard from the exhaustion of losing all the contents of her stomach. "Give me a moment..." she mumbled.

"If it were that simple, I would. But I'm an enforcer now, and I need to uphold justice and bring that mage under arrest. However, the dominators won't work on her. We've yet to confront her, but all our information leads us to believe she can control her hue.

Meiling clucked in disapproval. "Very well, I'll help. If she's too troublesome for your dominators, I'll see about giving her a bad time. Can't be too much of a hassle for me, I'm already dead and all." Meiling grabbed the staff with both hands and held it over her head, stretching.

Tomoyo cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry, you must have died so y-young." She sniffled and covered her face again. "I-I know you're not her but…"

"What's wrong, Tomoyo are you okay?" Sho rubbed her back some more. He wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be fine, whatever was upsetting her, but he wasn't sure if she would appreciate it after what he wanted to do a few minutes ago.

"She remarkably resembles a childhood friend of mine." Tomoyo turned around and grabbed Sho's hand, her body tilting heather and neither from side to side. "How are you the Cardcaptor of this world?"

"Cardcaptor? Ho ho ho been a while sense I heard that!" Meiling stepped between the two, pushing them away with the Clow Key. "It's true the phantoms took the form of cards at one time, but between the battle of the old guardians many of those phantoms perished. The remaining now take residence in the Key of Clow. And then there's the rift, allowing more phantoms into the world. I can smell it, the city's infested with them."

Tomoyo held herself back from grabbing the child. The woman missed Meiling dearly, she missed all her friends and family.

"And your next question is how does a girl become a guardian instead of that glorified cat and prick of an elf." Meiling twirled the staff again, smiling in her reminiscence. "See, they fought each other and left Japan in quite a state. My cousin was the Card Captor at the time before he became the first Phantom Master and ended the two guardian's lives. But without a guardian the magic in the Clow Key was consuming my cousin's life, so I scarified myself and became his guardian."

"Is that so?" Tomoyo couldn't believe Kero and Yue doing such a thing. But it seemed the more she learned, the farther the world felt from her. A shiver racked her body and she held her sides, holding back tears.

Meiling leaned down and touched Tomoyo's shoulder. "Hey Miss, it's all in the past. Just gotta focus on the future, it'll be okay." She turned around and whispered to Sho. "Is she going to be okay?"

He nodded, but stopped and held his head, groaning.

Meiling giggled. "It's good to see you again, we'll talk later after I've taken care of your issue." She spun the staff and pointed it at the bed. "Create, Through and Loop, join with Void and take me to my master's query!" A swirling portal formed, wind and dust sucking into it. "Don't worry about regional hue levels, I'll take care of her just fine!"

"Wait Meiling," Tomoyo called "Her name is Sakura Kinomoto and she's my friend!"

Meiling waved her hand over her shoulder with an apathetic, "Okay," and jumped through the portal.

Turning to Sho, Tomoyo covered her mouth tears rolling down her face.

Sho took Tomoyo into his arms, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. "Meiling's a good guardian, impulsive, but she'll make sure to talk with Sakura." He didn't mention that Meiling was a fight first and ask questions later sort of character. But it seemed Tomoyo already understood this as she gripped his shoulders and shook her head into his chest. But he had faith in his guardian.

* * *

Sakura rubbed dirt and grime from her hair. She and Mirror had concluded that Tomoyo was likely held up in a correctional facility, but the data they stole was incomplete and whole sections corrupt. Any clues towards Tomoyo's whereabouts seemed to have been erased. Sibyl didn't want Sakura finding her friend. The world's underlying consciousness was against her, so Sakura took to a little more direct approach and scouting out each correctional facility. Wasn't hard with the Time card, but it wore her out with his repetitive usage.

There was a knocking on the bathroom door followed by a voice Sakura hadn't heard in a while. "Oi lady, finish your shower and get out here so I can beat you in a fair duel. I got phantoms to hunt down. Would you believe how dirty the world got in the years my master decided to take a trip down druggy lane!"

"And who might you be?" Phantoms, so that's what the spirits plaguing certain people and sending their hue levels out of control were called. Sakura tried to ignore the world's supernatural specters. She never had a liking for ghosts.

"I am Meiling, guardian of Clow's Key and servant to the Phantom Master!"

Sakura paused in her washing for a moment, considering the words just spoken to her. "It's about time I heard about this world's Cardcaptor, though the new name is interesting. Meiling you say? What happened for the world to be filled with these phantoms?"

"Oh, uhm… The old guardians fought each other and that caused a rift to the underworld to open. You're not surprised? Are you done yet? I'm itching to get this fight over with."

Sakura rubbed her sore eyes, the running water washing away her tears. It seemed there was no end to tragic changes between her world and this. "Meiling's the name of a friend of mine. You don't happen to have used to be a Li?" She knew the answer already, the girl on the other side of the door sounded just like her friend.

"Don't bother associating me with a past or different Meiling, I am a guardian of Clow, and I assure you, I'm a different person." Meiling banged the door. "Now get out here, or I'm coming in!"

"Windy, Move!" Sakura commanded, the combination between the two cards and her inner power allowed her to achieve a telekinetic power, capable of grabbing onto the living and dead alike. Rinsing off her body, the door to the bathroom opened and tumbled in a ten year old Meiling. She screamed and hit a wall, and then the ceiling, and then the floor.

Sakura threw the spirit out into the main room, followed by a loud crash. Stepping out of the shower she picked some comfortable clothes from her wardrobe and used the same telekinesis to dry and dress herself.

A beastly growl came through the Meiling shaped hole in the wall.

"That's a nice how do you do, and I was being polite." A gravelly voice echoed, unnatural and broken. "But if you're so ready to die, I'll be happy to oblige." Skeletal fingers dripping in black ooze gripped the edge of the hole in the wall. A skull appeared, it's mouth filled with sharp quills.

"Oh." Sakura didn't know what to say to the child's transformation. She expected some kind of surprise, but to see Meiling's spirit from this world turned into a monster… Her heart ached and she wanted to hold the child close to her.

"Don't give me that pitying look!" It screeched and lunged at Sakura.

Sakura dodged, sidestepping the child size demon. She pivoted on her feet and kicked it into another wall.

The demon rolled, the fleshy tendrils holding her bones together twisted and knotted. It squealed in frustrations, struggling to right itself and attack again.

Sakura raised her hand, the star wand appearing in her grasp. "Bubble, Hope, and Wind, bind this soul with cleansing chains!"

A hand tapped Sakura on the back. "You fell for that decor?" Meiling laughed and stepped inside Sakura. The woman's body tensed up and spasmed, dropping the star wand. Meiling continued to walk through Sakura, stepping out of the woman and towards the crumpled creature on the floor.

Sakura fell to her hands and knees, coughing up blood.

Meiling raised a hand, silver strings connecting her fingers to Sakura's chest. "This was far easier than I thought it'd be." She pulled the strings and Sakura hacked up blood and bits of flesh. "I'm a little disappointed in you. Here it sounded like Sho was going on about was how dangerous you were. I'll tell that Tomoyo lady you fought valiantly.

Sakura wheezed, struggling to breath. She raised her head, red tinged tears streaming from her eyes. "Tomoy' 's wit' Sh-Sho Hin-?"

"Yeah, he's got the hots for her. I thought she was his wife at first, but I realize that's absurd. He's the definition of a shy. It'll take some time before that happens." Meiling pulled her hands to her chest, the strings yanking Sakura forward. "He's got issues, and Tomoyo will be so sad, but they'll be sad together and then they'll be happy." Her eyes sparkled.

The creature crumpled in the corner untangled itself finally, now crawling towards Sakura. "Tasty, tasty, let rip, tasty."

"Sure thing pet, rip away!" Meiling cheered, yanking the strings holding Sakura towards the demon.

It jumped at her, and sunk its teeth deep into her shoulder. She whimpered, too weak to struggle. It pulled long strands of flesh and muscle from her, dropping it to tear at her body again.

Meiling knelt near the dying Sakura, shaking her head. "Don't worry. Tomoyo's going to be fine. You can die in peace now."

Sakura coughed again and looked Meiling in the eye, smiling. "Thanks brat, figures they'd decide to keep her close."

"You're pretty arrogant to smile like that while dying. Got something up your sleeve?" Meiling cupped Sakura's chin in her small hands, enjoying the dying light in the woman's eyes. It took her a moment to note the clarity in Sakura's speech. Realization dawned.

"I just hope you enjoy the rest of your dream, brat." Sakura giggled.

Meiling gritted her teeth and slapped the fake Sakura. "No!" she shot to her feet, stomping on the ground. "How! Let me wake up, I demand to be released right now!" her voice reverberated off the fading walls, the world around her turning into darkness. "No, bitch, scum cheating cunt, fat whore!"

* * *

Sakura ran a hand over Meiling's troubled face. The girl gritted her teeth and whimpered Sakura name between expletives. Meiling shifted in her sleep, unable to escape the Dream card's effects. Tears slipped from her eyes with a sob of frustration. It broke Sakura's heart to learn the fate of her old friends. A battle it seemed, something that tore a great gash into the world, turning it unstable and dystopian like. Strange that Japan's solution between the magical destruction and the wars was to hide itself in a fake serenity.

With a cough, Sakura stepped away from the ghost and faced her reflection in a mirror. The young woman holding said mirror smiled, a green ribbon in her hair. "It sounds like she's in good hands."

"Yes, but this troubles me." Sakura rubbed her forehead, focusing on breathing. Meiling's magic was strong and still caught her even in her sleep. It was foolish of Sakura to underestimate the spirit. "We caught her off guard, and I sense she wasn't at her full strength. Like someone who had only woken recently. What am I to expect from this 'Phantom Master?' I've done the research on all the law enforcement in this city, and it comes to stand that Hinakawa's the weakest of them all. And yet, he's the one that holds Clow's magic…"

"What would you suggest?"

"A direct approach is out of the question now. We need to learn who we're dealing with. Test them. I don't want to see Tomoyo put in the same situation as those girls I saved."

Mirror turned and faced the restless spirit on the bed. Meiling had appeared holding a unique Clow Key. Once she had been captured by Dream, the staff disappeared, likely returning to its master. Mirror turned her attention back to Sakura. "Right, this is troublesome. What shall we do with her once she awakens?"

"I don't think allowing her that chance is going to be good for my health." Sakura slowly lowered herself to the floor, holding her chest. It took her a moment to catch her breath again. "I'm not physically hurt, but that magic isn't anything I've faced before. It's like it's made from misery itself and I can't shake it. If she wakes up, what else am I to expect?"

"Don't tell me you're going to destroy her? She's a spirit, that's death beyond death itself."

Sakura hid her face, ashamed of what she planned to do. "I can't think of a safer solution. I can't keep her under, it would leave me weak when I faced Hinakawa and the others. If I allow her to awaken, imagine what she could do once she's gained her strength back? That spirit is corrupted and malicious, a vague outline of a once innocent girl. Dream grants people their greatest desire, and Meiling's right now was to make me suffer a terrible death. There is no reasoning with her."

Together they faced the girl, now thrashing in her sleep. Sakura could feel Dream's hold weakening on the child. And the longer Sakura held the spirit with her magic, the weaker she became. What other choice did she have? Unless, the solution to all her problems was a little different. Would Tomoyo forgive her?

"What about holding her hostage?"

Mirror shook her head. "Hinakawa might choose to turn the table on you. And what if this Meiling escapes?"

Mirror was right, there was no other option to consider. Sakura coughed into her hand and slowly lowered it away from her mouth. She was afraid there would be blood, but it was clear. The painful strings were still wrapped inside her, even if they didn't have as tight a hold as Meiling dreamt of. But the thing about these strings is that they worked two ways.

Sakura wrapped her fingers around the silver lines connecting her to Meiling. It was once said evil men who intended to kill will stand over their victims and prolong the end. Holding a life in one's hand, watching as the poor souls cowered and begged to live. Sakura was not evil but she was prepared end the fight now.

"Farewell spirit..." Sakura closed her eyes and pulled.

* * *

 _This chapter's heavy on the fantasy, but next I plan on good old sci-fi cop action. Meiling is one of my favorite characters from the show, and it saddened me to find out she's not a part of the manga. We're one third the way done with this tale._


End file.
